Barbecued Dumpster at Hobart Lane. "Arson Watch" sign was at top left.
Heads up police work by a patrol officer in an unmarked car early Sunday morning (12:45 AM) may have brought an end to the serial dumpster arson cases that have plagued North Amherst for over a year now. When the officer spotted three young men near the dumpster and detained them for questioning, one individual--Travis Consolo--was acting particularly nervous.
And for good reason: While the officer was questioning him, the dumpster--which had ArsonWatch reward poster affixed to it-- exploded into a conflagration. AFD put out the fire; Consolo, a UMass student, was arrested.
Since August of 2010 this particular dumpster has been torched 30 times. Police and Firefighters distributed informational flyers to the immediate neighborhood around Hobart Lane back in October, reinforcing the reward offer posted on the abused dumpster.
Arrested for "Burn Personalty":
Travis William Consolo, 143 Birch Bark Drive, Hanson, MA, age 21
A recent (bad) example
ArsonWatch reward poster like the one attached to burned dumpster
Nice work APD!
ReplyDeleteAs a resident near Hobart, a former student, and a UMass alumni I am thankful this idiot was caught. Was he connected to the university, or was a five-college/other kid hiding among the masses?
ReplyDeleteA Travis W. Consolo shows up as a student using the UMass people finder.
ReplyDeleteAll the more reason for the DA and a Judge to make an example of the twit.
ReplyDeleteAnd UMass may also want to think about enforcing the, umm, Code of Student Conduct.
Judge:
ReplyDelete"Mr. Consolo, liar, liar pants on fire is not s sufficient defense."
Lock him up!
Please tell me that they have more than him just being in the area. Please tell me they brought in the MSP arson people, that they have something resembling evidence, that they sort respected his Constitutional rights and the rest.
ReplyDelete30 years ago, a different student, one Yvvone Henry, was arrested for arson and wasn't the person doing it and if they got the *wrong* kid and it comes out at trial come spring, that is a Rodney King level riot causer.
And I don't want my tax dollars going to pay state troopers to clean up a mess that Amherst caused...
Oh, they have irrefutable enough evidence, a smoking gun so to speak.
ReplyDeleteEd,
ReplyDeleteYou make yourself out to be a moron every time you open your mouth on Larry's blog. APD has highly trained professional police officers who DO know how to do their job. MSP is a wonderful resource when needed, but APD did a fine job of apprehending a guilty party and should be commended. Don't be so quick to doubt the people who keep you, and your tax dollars, safe on a nightly basis.
APD has highly trained professional police officers who DO know how to do their job. MSP is a wonderful resource when needed, but APD did a fine job of apprehending a guilty party and should be commended
ReplyDeleteArson investigation is a highly specialized form of law enforcement. From dogs that can smell accellerants to really fancy labs with lots of expensive toys, it is why most small/medium size police departments don't do this. Bluntly, it costs too much and you can't justify it.
Wait, doesn't the APD have a tank?
I am not the person who found that out, but do I understand they actually have a tank registered? Isn't it kinda expensive to maintain, you gotta do some of that on it don't you?
So if the APD can do its own arson investigation -- and I don't mean sitting there and catching the kid with a gasoline can in one hand and matches in the other but pining an exploding dumpster on some kid who just happened to be nearby -- if the APD has that kind of arson resources, they are spending too much money.
According to what Larry posted, all the APD had was someone near a dumpster at 1 am when it caught fire -- that, folks, is not enough. *I* throw away trash at 1AM and I am quite certain that I am not lighting things on fire.
And Yvonne Henry was innocent.